Lancaster Catholic is looking to improve on a 7-5 record last season. Coach Chris Maiorino (left, below) says "expectations are to to get better each and every day. There's excitement about the talent coming back."
That talent includes running back Brandon Way Jr., a Villanova commit. He's coming off a big season when he rushed for 1,816 yards and scored 28 touchdowns. The Crusaders will be looking for Way to lead the way on offense.
Bryan Strohl calls it a “next-man-up mentality.”
Strohl, Cocalico’s head coach since 2020, has won two-thirds of his games and a pair of section championships, and now he wants his new crop of seniors to carry the ball, literally, in 2025.
“We’ve had a pretty good run the last few years,” he notes. “We’ve lost some good, quality kids, but we have some good, quality kids to replace them.”
After a trip deep into the District 3 playoffs, Ephrata football just missed the playoffs a year ago and Austin Bryant says the team has a remedy. "I think we build off of that by correcting those little things that we made last year," he says.
Players attending media day:
Dustin Hoover (top), senior, fullback, inside linebacker
Carson Martin (below left), junior, quarterback, linebacker
Austin Bryant (below right), senior, wide receiver, safety, cornerback
Manheim Central's football team is finding plenty of motivation in last season's 3-7 record as they aim to return the program to its usual level of winning almost every week.
Players attending Media Day:
(from left)
Cooper Nied, senior, offensive and defensive lineman
Daniel Gertler, senior, offensive and defensive lineman
Jayvior Marales, senior, receiver, free safety
Cody Hess, senior, wide receiver, outside linebacker
Elizabethtown High quarterback Trent Kauffman has a few reasons he wants to do well this upcoming season.
First off, he’s entering his senior year, the last time he’ll suit up before graduating.
Despite its stellar legacy, McCaskey has found few wins recently on the football field, but that hasn't hindered the expectations of this year's team. With inspiration from a new coach, players say they're aiming to qualify for the District 3 playoffs.
McCaskey players attending media day:
Dieumel Gerard (left), senior, guard, defensive tackle
Johnzell Sibley (center), senior, wide receiver, outside linebacker
Khali Sloan (right), senior, running back, defensive end
The players have multiple reasons for their optimism.
The Lancaster stars beat their counterparts from Lebanon and Berks counties 49-39 in the Manheim Touchdown Club's 23rd annual Tri-County All-Star Football Game played Friday May 23, 2025, at Elden Rettew Field, Manheim Central High School.
Manheim Central’s Tyler Groff won lineman of the year honors. Player of the Year honors were split among those listed below.
Manheim Township Coach Mark Evans coached the Lancaster squad against the Berks and Lebanon team led by Twin Valley Coach Brett Myers.
Scoring
Lancaster-Lebanon League football coaches selected the following players as all-stars for the 2024 season. (Pictured is Lancaster Catholic's Brandon Way, Section 5 Outstanding Back of the Year.)
Outstanding Back of the Year: Declan Clancy, Manheim Township, and Madyx Gruber, Wilson
Outstanding Lineman of the Year: Tristan Long, Cedar Crest
Wide Receiver of the Year: Brayden Charles, Hempfield
Offensive Back of the Year: Madyx Gruber, Wilson
The Lancaster-Lebanon League Quarterback Club, comprising the league's football coaches, selected the following PowerPro players of the week.
Back
Section 1: Chase Herb, junior, Safety, Wilson, vs. Manheim Township, 12 tackles; 1 pass breakup
Section 2: Brayden Brown, senior, RB/OLB, Ephrata, vs. Governor Mifflin, 11 carries for 68 Yards (6.2 Avg.), 3 catches for 76 yards, 3 touchdowns; on defense, 13 tackles (5 solo), 2 tackles for loss
The Lancaster-Lebanon League Quarterback Club, comprising the league's football coaches, selected the following PowerPro players of the week.
Back
Section 1: Carson Weisser, senior, QB, Manheim Township, vs. Penn Manor, 12-for-13 passing for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns (long of 49), QB rating of 165.2 (only played in first half)
Section 2: Sawyer Esbenshade, junior, QB, Conestoga Valley, vs. Exeter, 19-of-31 passing for 267 yards, 3 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 9 rushes for 45 yards, 1 rushing touchdown